Spring Breakers (2013?)

Let me explain the question mark. A bunch of you put Spring Breakers in your 2013 list and I can’t remember when it was released; IMDB puts it in 2012 and RT in 2013. So I figured I’d go with the general public thinking its in 2013 and then it makes me feel better about getting another 2013 movie out of the way. I need to know how this movie ended up in a lot of the best lists. Lets check it out!

Brit (Ashley Benson), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Cotty (Rachel Korine) and Faith (Selena Gomez) have been friends since they were kids. They all go to the same college now and are bored with their current lives and want to experience more, have an adventure. This motivates them to save money to go away for spring break. Through some unlawful and extreme ways, the girls get the money and head off to spring break where things get out of hand and they get locked up in jail. To their surprise, Alien (James Franco) bails them out and they end up caught in a different sort of problems.

Spring Breakers is a flick that I’ve been not too sure about seeing. For one, it doesn’t appeal to me but with all the positive reviews, I really wanted to see for myself. A lot of times when I give chances to something different, it usually surprises me. For Spring Breakers, its somewhat of a weird experience. I started out thinking it was really bizarre. It was a new in the sense that it used a lot of dazed out and hallucinatory (is that a word?) camera work. Plus, the dialogue repeated a lot to emphasize a feeling, an emotion. It felt broken and choppy, jumping here and there, flashing to naked chicks on the beach, booze and then flashing back to our four main characters. Funny enough, all these things eventually did grow on me and it felt like I connected with some of the characters and just how they felt. I’ve never been through their situation, goodness, no, I haven’t even experienced taking drugs. I have no idea how any of that feels like and I was never a spring break girl, but somehow, it really was good at showing the deeper level of this flick. There was something more that was expressed.

That scene up there is possibly one of the most innocent and fun scenes of the whole movie. It was the good before EVERYTHING literally goes bad and these girls break apart in a certain way as they learn about themselves. While we are on the topic of the four leading girls here, I can’t help but say that if there was any initial reason to see this movie, it would be because of three of them. Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez are from little teen movies back when they started. I used to like them. High School Musical is not so great to me now but back then, I did like it for a little bit. Plus, these last few years, I’ve warmed up to Selena Gomez as well. However, the one I really wanted to see was Ashley Benson because she is fantastic in Pretty Little Liars and seeing her do something outside of that role into this one was quite awesome. I think other than Selena Gomez having a small and not so significant breakthrough, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson impressed me the most.

However, talking about performances, the one that really stole the show was James Franco as Alien. Honestly, I almost didn’t recognize him. As much as his character irritated me when he first appeared as the DJ going “y’all” over and over again. I have to say that his character was unpredictable and that gave him that whole new edge which pushed it over the limits and made him so good to watch. My respect for James Franco probably doubled with this role. I was really impressed.

Aside from some good performances, I think it was the way the movie was presented that complimented the whole effect. On top of hallucinatory scenes, repeated dialogue, the movie was full of shades of neon that only would work for a movie set between lots of partying and drugs. This movie surprised me in a way that I wasn’t sure if I liked it because I’m pretty sure the beginning had me slightly confused with the characters but as it moved along, it really grew on me and I started really enjoying its bizarre set-up of everything.

I really think its worth a viewing. If nothing else impresses you, try out James Franco’s role as Alien. You might be as impressed as I am. :)

Have you seen Spring Breakers? What did you think of Alien? How about the girls? In your opinion was there a deeper meaning to the whole thing? Did you like it?

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29 thoughts on “Spring Breakers (2013?)”

IMDB says 2012 because it was shown at the film festivals in Venice and Toronto in 2012, but it wasn’t released theatrically until 2013 (March I think) which is why it is considered a 2013 film and why it has garnered awards attention this year (especially for Franco).

Well, the girls can’t act for shit. Sorry for the language, but it’s true. That being said, what they did here is perfect for the film, which is not really acting, just being themselves for the most part lol. Franco is an absolute beast in this role and I love the story for its commentary on social behaviour, trends, and direction.

Don’t worry about language, we’re all adults here. ;)
You know, I actually have to say that I appreciate James Franco and the story the most. I felt like once Franco entered the movie, it started feeling a lot more engaging but thats also when things started going pretty out of hand.

Excellent review, and yes, “hallucinatory” is a word. ;) I put this one in my top 10 (it was released April 2013 in the UK). Cool that you took a chance on it, and enjoyed it. Agree about Franco, he was a standout in the movie. Did you think Vanessa Hudgens was quite scary in this? There’s a bit where she’s showing her buddies how to do a robbery, telling them to get on the floor, shouting at them etc. She seemed disturbingly into it!!

Now. That I watched it when I was bedridden with the worst sick I have ever had probably didn’t help. Of course, I watched Burt Wonderstone during that sick and liked it. And all of House of Cards, which I adore. So the sick can’t be assigned all of the blame. ;-)

Kind of funny because I’m sick right now and when I saw this over the weekend and it didn’t have that hatred. So no, sickness is not the cause ;) It just didn’t work for you and thats totally alright.
But now that you mention it, I do have to check out House of Cards eventually. I’ve been putting it back over and over again..haha

Good review Kim. Though, on paper, this may read-out like nothing more than just another dirty fantasy from some perverted specimen, it actually works in who it talks out against. And being a young adult myself, I know exactly who it is, and what this movie is actually discussing.

I like your review. The idea of him capturing that hallucinatory world sounds interesting. I remember when this film came out. I kind of don’t like Harmony Korine’s other movies though — I think he’s kind of exploitive, so I never saw it. But I really love James Franco, so I would see it to see his performance. On the other hand, I know my husband would probably hate this movie, so I’d have to see it by myself. lol.